Chart for classifying package-freight.



H. E. BURNS.

CHART FOR CLASSIFYING PACKAGE FREIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4. 19:5.

1,199,759. Patentad Oct. 3, 1916.

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HOWARD E. BURNS, OF

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CHART FOR CLASSIFYING PACKAGE-FREIGHT.

Application filed February 4, 1916.

1 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HOWARD E. BURNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Charts for Classifying Package-Freight, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable other skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a chart for enabling a person to ascertain whether a package can be loaded in a standard box car, namely, a car, 36 long, 8-6 wide, 8 high and provided with a side door opening 6 wide and 7'G high.

Packages that can be loaded in a standard box car can be shipped at a much lower freight rate than packages which are too large to be introduced through the side door opening of a standard box car, as railroad companies have the right to charge for a minimum weight of four thousand pounds on each package that is too large to be introduced into a standard box car through the side door opening, even though the package weighs only a fraction of four thousand pounds. For example, a package that can be loaded in a standard box car through the side door opening in the car can be shipped as its actual weight, but if the package is too long, too hig or too wide to be introduced into a standard box car through the side door opening, the railroad company charges the shipper for a minimum weight of four thousand pounds. Consequently, a shipper often does not know whether the freight charged on a package will be based on the actual weight of the package or on a minimum of four thousand pounds until after the railroad company has tried to load the package in one of its standard box cars, and if the shipper has sold the article in the package, under the assumption that it can be shipped at its actual weight, and finds out later that it has to be shipped at a minimum weight of four thousand pounds, his profit is diminished by the high freight rate that he is required topay and very often the transaction results in an actual loss to the shipper. A loss of profits also often results to a railroad company, by reason of an employee quoting a shipper a definite freight rate on a package that is too large to be loaded in a standard box car and on which the railroad company would have been legally entitled tocharge the shipper for a minimum Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1916.

Serial No, 76,189.

weight of four thousand pounds. Furthermore, a great deal of trouble is occasioned, oth to railroad companies and to shippers, m adjusting charges for package freight, it often being impossible to tell whether the charge made by the railroad company or a claim for an overcharge made by the shipper is correct, on account of the fact that the package to which the disputed charge relates cannot be examined so as to ascertain whether or not it could be placed in a standard box car.

The main object of my invention is to provide a chart by which a railroad company or a shipper can accurately classify package freight into two classes, namely, packages that can be shipped at actual weight, and packages which have to be shipped at a minimum weight of a certain number of pounds.

Another object is to provide a chart by which the user can tell at a glance whether or not a package whose size is known can be placed in a compartment of certain dimensions provided with an entrance opening of certain dimensions. And still another object is to provide a chart from which can be computer the three dimensions of every sized package that can be loaded in a standard box car.

Other objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out.

To this end I have devised a chart which is mace up of a group of parallel lines that represent one dimension of packages of various sizes, a second group of parallel lines arranged at right angles to the lines constituting the first group and intersecting some or all of same, which second group of lines represent another dimension of packages of various sizes, and curved or inclined lines that represent the third di mension of packages of various sizes and which are combined with said groups of right-angularly-disposed lines in such a manner that the user of the chart can tell instantly, by glancing at same, whether or not a package of certain dimensions is too large to be introduced through the entrance opening of a compartment of certain dimensions.

While I have herein illustrated my invention embodied in a chart that is adapted to be used for determining whether packages can be loaded in a standard box car, it will of course be understood that the chart could be changed to adapt it for use that extends laterally and With any sized bax car, or, in fact, with any other type of compartment or package container, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a top plan view of a chart constructed in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is an en larged top plan view of a portion of the chart shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, A designates a member which may be flat, curved or of any other preferred form, B designates a group of parallel lines on the member A that represent one dimension of packages of various sizes and C designates a second group of parallel lines on the member A that represent another dimension of packages of various sizes, the lines 13 being preferably arranged horizontally and the lines 0 vertically so that some or all of said lines B and C will cross or intersect each other. It is immaterial, so far as my bro-ad idea is concerned, which dimensions of the packages are represented by the lines B and C, but I prefer to use the horizontal lines B to represent the width or narrow dimension of the packages and use the vertical lines G to represent the length of the packages. The third dimen sion of the packages, namely, the height, is represented by curved or inclined lines, and in the chart herein shown the third dimension of packages from 1 to 2-8 in height is represented by a group of inclined or curved lines D at the right hand end of the chart, which pass through certain of the horizontal and vertical .lines B and C in an oblique direction, the third dimension of packages from 29 to 76 in height is represented by a curved line D downwardly from th upper end of the vertical line C at the extreme left hand end of the chart and the third dimension of packages from 7-6 to Q G" in height, is represented by a group of curved or inclined lines D that commence at the vertical line C at the extreme left hand end of the chart and run laterally and downwardly from same through certain of the horizontal lines B and vertical lines C. Every twelfth line of the group of horizontal lines D is distinguished from the remaining lines in this group in some suitable manner,either by making the line heavy or printing it in a different color, and numerals or some other suitable indicia is arranged at the left hand end of the horizontal lines 13, so as to indicate that the lines B represent inches and feet. For example, the twelfth horizontal line from the bottom of the chart is designated by the characters 1O, so as to indicate that this line represents 1 ft., and the twenty-fourth, thirty-sixth, fortyeighth and sixtieth horizontal lines from th bottom of the chart are designated by the characters 2O, SO, lO and 5O, respectively, so as to indicate that these lines represent 2, 3, d and 5 ft. The characters 60 are arranged at the point where the curved line D joins the vertical line C at the extreme left hand end of the chart, so as to represent 6 feet, The first eleven horizontal lines, commencing at the bottom of the chart, are marked with the numerals 1 to 11, inclusive, so as to indicate that these lines represent inches, and the remaining horizontal lines on the chart that are arranged between the heavy horizontal feet lines are marked in a similar manner, as shown in the drawings.

Any suitable means may he used to show what the horizontal lines B represent, the means employed in the chart herein shown consisting of a heading lVidth or narrow dimensions, which is arranged at the extreme left hand end of the chart. The group of vertical lines C are also divided into feet and inch lines by making certain of the vertical lines C heavy or printing them in different colors, and numerals are arranged at the bottom of the chart at the lower ends .of the vertical lines C, so as to indicate that the heavy vertical lines represent feet and the intermediate vertical lines represent inches, a suitable heading which may consist of the word Length being arranged at the lower end of the chart, as shown in the drawings. The first vertical line C at the left hand end of the chart is preferably marked 8-6 to represent that this line stands for 86", as it is not necessary to consider the length of any package shorter than 86, owing to the fact that the width of a standard box car is 86. In other words, any package whose greatest dimension is 86 can be introduced endwiso through the side door opening of a standard box car, providing, of course, that the other dimensions of the package are not greater than the width or height of the door opening. The remaining vertical lines 0 on the chart are numbered up to 23-11, as this is the greatest length of a package that can be loaded in a standard box car. The group of inclined or vertical lines D at the right hand end of the chart are marked with numerals and other suitable indicia to indicate that these lines represent the height of packages from 1 to 28" in height. A suitable heading is arranged in proximity to the curved line D to indicate that said line represents the height of all packages from 2 to 7G" in height, said line D having its right hand end portion inclined downwardly at a sharp angle toward the lower end of the chart, which downwardlyinclined portion lies to the left of the group of lines D. A suitable heading is also arranged in proximity to the top line of the group of inclined and curved lines D to indicate that said top line represents the height of all packages 7 6 high, and the remaining lines of this group are marked with suitable numerals and indicia to indicate that said lines represent the height of packages up to 9G in height.

A chart of the construction above described enables a shipper or a railroad company to accurately classify shipments of package freight, for the person using the chart can tell at a glance whether or not a particular package can be loaded in a standard box car. If, for example, the package to be shipped is 11 long, 4L wide and 6 high, the user glances down the curved line D to ascertain whether the vertical and horizontal lines marked 11 and 4:, respectively, intersect at a point below the curved line D. It said horizontal and vertical lines intersect, the user knows that a package having the dimensions specified can be loaded in a standard box car. It the package is 11 long, 5 wide and 6 high, the person using the chant glances down the curved line D and notes in an instant that said curved line crosses the 5 horizontal line B before said horizontal line reaches the 11 vertical line C. In other words, the user notes instantly that the vertical and horizontal lines marked 11 and 5, respectively, do not intersect or cross each other at a point below the curved line D. Consequently, the user knows that a package 11 long, 5 wide and 6 high can not be loaded in a standard box car on account of the fact that it is too long to be introduced through the side door opening, the chart showing clearly that 101 is the greatest length of a package 6 high and 5 wide that can be loaded in a standard box car. It the package is less than 28 in height, the group of curved or inclined lines D at the right hand end of the chart are used in classifying the package; for example, if the package is 2 high, 1 wide and 226 long, the user merely has to glance along the line D marked 2 to see whether the vertical line C marked 226 crosses the horizontal line B marked 1 at a point at the left of the curved line D marked 2. If it does, the user knows that the package is small enough to be loaded in a standard box car. If the package is 1 wide, 2 high and 23 long, the user can tell at a glance that such a package is too long to be introduced through the side door opening of a standard box car, because the point where the horizontal line 13 marked 1 crosses the vertical line C marked 23 falls to the right of the curved line D marked 2. A package 1 wide, 11 long and 8 high can be classified quickly by glancing at the curved line D marked 8. In the example just given the user can tell instantly that a package having these dimensions cannot be loaded in a standard box car, because the horizontal line B marked 1 crosses the vertical line C marked 11 at a point above the point where the curved line D marked 8 crosses the horizontal and vertical lines marked 1 and 11, respectively, the chart showing that 10-S is the greatest length of a package 1 wide and 8 high that can be loaded in a standard box car.

In addition to providing a means for enabling a person to accurately classify shipments oi package freight, a chart of the construction above described makes it possible to compute the three dimensions of every sized package that can be loaded in a standard box car, in case it is desired to make up a table showing the three dimensions of all sized packages that can be shipped in box cars at the actual weight of the packages.

As previously stated, my invention is not limited to a chart that is used for classitying packages which are to be shipped in standard box cars nor is my invention limited to a chart in which the horizontal lines represent the width of the packages, the vertical lines represent the length of the packages and the curved or inclined lines represent the height of the packages, for my broad idea consists of a chart made up of three groups of intersecting lines that represent or indicate the three dimensions of packages that are small enough to be introduced into a compartn'lent of certain di mensions provided with an entrance opening of a certain width and height.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A chart for classifying package freight composed of three groups of lines arranged at angles to each other that represent the three dimensions of packages of various sizes.

2. A chart of the character described, comprising a group of parallel lines that represent one dimension of packages of various sizes, a. second group of parallel lines arranged at right angles to the lines of the group first referred to and crossing some or all of same, said second group of lines representing another dimension of packages 01": various sizes, and curved or inclined lines combined with said 'roups of right-angularly-disposed lines in such a manner that the chart shows the three dimensions or various sized packages that can be intro.- uced into a package container of the par ticular character with which the chart is used.

3. A chart composed of two groups of right-angalarly-disposed intersecting lines marked in units of measurement so as to represent the two dimensions of packages or various sizes, and curved or inclined lines representing the third dimension of pack ages of various sizes which cross or intersect said right-angularly-disposed lines.

t. A chart for the purpose described composed of a group of parallel lines marked in units of measurement to represent one dimension of packages of various sizes, a second group of parallel lines arranged at ri ht an les to the lines of the group first referred to and crossing or intersecting same, said second group of lines being marked in units of measurement so as to represent another dimension of packages of various sizes, and curved or inclined lines extending diagonally of the chart and iii-- tersecting the lines constituting the two groups first referred to so as to represent the third dimension of packages whose other dimensions are represented by the groups of parallel lines.

5. A chart for classifying package freight consisting of a group of horizontally-disposed lines marked in units of measurement to represent one dimension of packages of various sizes, a group of vertically-disposed, parallel lines that intersect said horizontally-disposed lines and which are marked in units of measurement to represent another dimension of packages of various sizes, and a curved or inclined line that extends diagonally across some of said horizontal and vertical lines to represent the third dimen sion of packages above a certain size.

(5. A chart for classifying package freight composed of two groups of intersecting lines marked in units of measurement to represent two dimensions of packages of various sizes, the lines of one group being arranged at right angles to the lines of the other group, a number of curved or inclined lines that cotiperate with certain lines of both. of said groups and represent the third dimension of packages up to certain size, a diagonally-disposed, curved or inclined line that cooperates with all of the horizon tal lines and certain of the vertical lines of said two group to represent the third dimension of pacl ages up to a different size, and an independent set of curved or inclined lines that cooperate with certain ofthe lines of the two groups first referred to so as to represent the third dimension of packages up to still. a different size.

7. A chart for classifying package freight composed of a group of vertically-disposed, parallel lines marked in units of measurement to represent one dimension of packages of various sizes, a group of horizonta lj-f-disposed, parallel, lines intersecting said vertically-disposed lines and marked in units of measijircment to represent the second dimension of packages of various sizes, and a third group of inclined or curved lines intersecting said vertical and horizontal lines and marked to represent the third dimension of packages of various sizes.

8. A chart for classifying package freight composed of a group of horizontal, parallel lines marked in units of measurement to represent the width of packages of various sizes, a group of vertically-disposed parallel lines intersecting said horizontal lines and marked in units of measurement to represent the length of packages of Various sizes, and a curved or inclined line extending diagonally across the chart from the horizontal line representing the greatest width, said curved or inclined line representing the height of packages whose height is between certain dimensions.

9. A chart for classifying package freight composed of a group of horizontal, parallel lines marked in units of measurement to represent the width of packages of various sizes, a group of vertically-disposed, parallel lines intersecting said horizontal lines and marked in units of measurement to represent the length of packages of various sizes,

curved or inclined line extending diagonally across the chart from the horizontal line representing the greatest width, said curved or inclined line representing the height of packages whose height lie between certain dimensions, a group of curved or inclined. lines arranged at one side of said diagonally-disposed line and intersecting some of the horizontal and vertical lines on the chart, which group of inclined lines are marked in units of measurement, and a second group of curved or inclined lines arranged on the other side of said diagonallydisposed line and intersecting certain of the horizontal and vertical lines on the chart, said second group of inclined lines also be ing marked in units of measurement.

10. it chart for classifying packagesof various sizes, composed of two groups of intersecting lines arranged at right angles to each other, means which indicates that the lines of one group represent one dimension of packages of various sizes and that the lines of the other group represent a sec ond dimension of packages of various sizes, inclined lines which pass through certain. intersection points of the lines of said two groups, and means which indicates that said inclined lines represent a third dimension of packages of various sizes.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this second day of February, 1916.

HOlVA'RD E. BURNS.

Witnesses VVnLLs L. CHURCH, Gnonen BAKEWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

